Ollie: Could an amateur riding a top of the range TT bike beat a Tour de France pro cyclist
riding a normal road bike? As an amateur, it's a question I've always wondered, and
today we're going to find out. Don't kill it. I'm on a road bike, but I can still go
pretty fast. No chance you're just going to beat me.
[music] With the help of Tour de France pro cyclist
and all-around top lad, Connor Swift, we're going to have a race on our local 10-mile
time trial course. I'm going to ride this Orbea Ordu TT bike, and Connor is going to
ride his Team Arkéa–Samsic Canyon Aeroad with drop handlebars. Connor is going to start
a minute behind me and try and catch me. I guess the question is, who will win? Let's
have a poll. Either, "Yes, Ollie will easily beat Connor. Ollie is going to absolutely
smoke him. Aero makes so much difference. Aero is king," or "No, Connor is a total beast.
Ollie is all the kit still [bleep]." Yes, even his name is fast. I've really got to
stop racing people with acronyms. Anyway, as our keen amateur, I'm 185 centimeters
tall, I'm 68 kilograms, and my FTP is around 310 watts, which is decent for an amateur
but about 100 less than Connor's. For those of you unfamiliar with Connor Swift, he's
a former National British champion on the road and rides for Arkéa–Samsic. He's very
strong, very, very strong. His job as a pro rider ranges from riding in lead-out trains
for sprinters, chasing down breakaways, and shepherding the likes of Nairo Quintana on
the flat and in crosswinds. He's 190 centimeters tall, weighs 76 kilograms, and his FTP is
over 400 watts. That's the power he can put out for an hour. This kind of power output
for his size is truly world-class and places him among the best of the best. Over a 20-minute
effort like this, he would be looking to put out around 450 watts, which is why I'm packing.
I'm bringing some toys to the party. Firstly, this, the new Orbea Ordu TT bike. It's an
absolute weapon. It looks like it's beamed down from planet aero. It is an outrageous
machine. Look at it from the top, it's just so narrow and sleek. It's like it's going
to cut through the air. You may remember it as being Si's weapon of choice in the one--
No, the two, three, and four versus one videos. I'm hoping that it yields the same magic for
me. In addition to the bike, I've got a Giro Aerohead
TT helmet. It's very aerodynamic and also considered an essential piece of PPE if you're
trying to stop Darth Vader from boarding your spaceship. I've got a Castelli Body Paint
skin suit on as well underneath my [unintelligible 00:03:13] mount. I'm trying to keep warm.
It's 3 degrees and raining. This is the same kind of suit that Si wore again. It's not
the same one. It's a different one. I don't want to wear where Si's been.
Si: Yes, me again. Sorry. You don't have to have any more of those skin suits, do you?
You don't. No, that size wouldn't work. The biceps would be a bit flappy really. You know
what Ollie is like. No, it's fine. No, don't worry about it. We'll fold it up neatly, put
it in a plastic bag, and he won't notice the difference. It will be fine. All right, cheers.
It'd be fine. Ollie: Anyway, one thing I don't have, which
you may have noticed, is a disc wheel on the back of the time trial bike. This would make
it faster, but I just haven't been able to source one in time to make this video, unfortunately.
If I lose, that's a ready-made excuse, isn't it? That will probably be one of the reasons.
We're going to be racing on our local time trial course near Doncaster, which if you've
not been, is a magical place. Now I say our local because it is actually our local course.
I used to race Connor on a midweek time trial in an evening most weeks on this course years
and years ago. I can't remember what the score is between us.
Connor Swift: I don't think you've ever beat me, mate. [laughs]
Ollie: Maybe today is the day that I finally manage to beat Connor on this course. It's
16 kilometers, 10 miles long, and it's a simple out and back. It's very flat but it's not
the fastest course, is it? It's a pretty rough road surface, very exposed to wind.
Connor: She's tough, she's tough. Ollie: Yes. We're going to smash it. The start
is just over there. You reckon you can catch me? Are you going to close it in?
Connor: We can call it a minute officially but I might go to a local shop get a coffee
and then set off. We'll see. Ollie: He sounds confident. All right, well
let's do it. We went to the start lay by to get set up, waited for a clear road, said
our prayers to the clipping in gods. Connor: I'll give you some beats, here we
go, kill it. Beep, beep. Go. Off you go. Ollie: Go on clipping. [laughs] Run don't
kill it. I'm feeling quite nervous and I've not ridden the TT Bike for about eight months,
but it's only 10 miles. I'm hoping I can blag it.
[music] No time for excuses, still get my head down,
get aero, get small. Do what I can just stop talking.
Connor: Right then, it's coming up to a minute. I'm not going to let him beat me on my home
turf. I've trained on this all the time, here we go. Beep, beep.
[music] Just got to keep the speed, keep the head
low, aero. I'm on a road bike but you can still go pretty fast
[music] Ollie: Trying as hard as I can to just get
small. Roll the shoulders in, keep the head low, and just keep the legs turning.
[music] I'm coming up to the turn but it should give
me a view of Connor and how far behind me he is.
[music] Ollie: Not taking any risk on the turn, a
bit greasy this roundabout. Back on the gas. There he is, just seen him on the other side
of the road. Connor: You're right, I'm on his tail.
Ollie: Instantly feel a bit of a tail wind. [music]
I'm not surprised, I need to hold him off but he started a minute behind me so he's
just there. I don't think that was a minute. I think he's beating me, that wasn't a minute.
Oh. Connor: Speaking right, [unintelligible 00:08:13]
mine as well. Ollie: Oh, how was that?
Connor: Oh, lovely. Ollie: It's great out, isn't it today.
Connor: Just what you want on a Friday morning. Ollie: I need to upload it and see what the
time was. When I saw you come past I don't think it was a minute but I think you didn't
quite I'm glad that I managed to hold you off but I think you've put 30 seconds into
me. Connor: I see.
Ollie: I've got to see what the results are. Connor I've got the results, so I held you
off but that doesn't mean everything does it? Because you started a minute after me,
right? Connor: Yes.
Ollie: You did it in 21 minutes 28 seconds. I did it in 22 minutes.
Connor: Oh. Ollie: Six seconds.
Connor: Jesus done it again, come on [unintelligible 00:09:14] bring your own game today. You fetched
the TT Bike, you told me to be on a road bike. Ollie: All the kicks.
Connor: Jesus. Ollie: [unintelligible 00:09:21] The other
thing you need to point out is that right now this is the offseason for you.
Connor: It's the offseason. Ollie: You've had COVID.
Connor: I've had the coronavirus at the feet jump.
Ollie: This is fair to say if this was July and you were in peak form probably even more
embarrassing for me. I'm going to manage to hold you off at least. Aero does definitely
work, just not well enough in my case. For those interested in power numbers Connor averaged
401 watts and I just 287. Now TT Bikes are faster but you have to be used to them and
getting the power out in that position. Which at the moment I'm not. Meaning I couldn't
produce as much power as I could on a road bike. Oops. Oh, dear.
Connor: I can go home a happy man. I can go up and down that road that I train on every
day knowing that I'm still the champion. [laughter]
Ollie: In case you're wondering how Connor would fare if he was on a time trial bike
by me well he actually has a course record on that time trial course about 18:57, that's
over 30 miles an hour. Ridiculous, I hope you've enjoyed this video, if you have please
give it a thumbs up and let us know in the comments what challenges or races you'd like
to see us do in the future. [laughter]
[00:10:55] [END OF AUDIO]